Single edge converter for double-edge safety razors



ted States Patent SINGLE EDGECONVERTER FOR DOUBLE-EDGE SAFETY RAZORS James R Cavanaugh, Chicago, Ill. Application March 9,1953, Serial No. 341,200 2" claims. (Cl. 30-34 This inventionirelat'es' to a single edge converter for a double-edge safetyrazor; and more particularly, to an attachment for such a razor which makes it possible to use only one of the cutting edges thereof. In u'sing a double-edge safety razor, many individuals either do not make any effort to. use only edge. of the "razor until it has become. dull before using the opposite edge, or have difiiculty in keeping track of which edge is being used at anyparticular moment. Since applicant has discovered that it is possible to get more good shaves from a single double-edge safety razor blade'by u'sing-ofilyolne edge. thereof until it has become dull and then switching to the opposite fresh, unused edge, it would obviously be an advantage to insure that only one edge of such a blade is used during one or several consecutive shaving operations.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a converter for double-edge safety razors, which, in effect. converts such a razor into a single edge razor lwlhiizh is nevertheless capable of receiving a double-edge Another object is to provide a device of the character described which can be conveniently secured to one side of a double-edge razor and when it becomes appropriate to do so, can be readily removed and placed in association with the opposite side of such a razor.

Still another object is to provide a converter of the character described which is particularly adapted to be used with a double-edge razor having a guard bar disposed in closely spaced relation to each edge of a doubleedge razor blade, disposed in operative position in said razor.

Yet another object is to provide a converter of the character described which has a cross sectional configuration such that it is capable of endwise insertion over the guard disposed in close association with each edge of a razor blade in operative position in said razor, and which can be readily removed from association with such a guard by similar endwise movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a converter of the character described which may readily be made of a suitable plastic material by an extrusion process and which is therefore simple and inexpensive to make.

Yet another object is to provide a converter of the character described which has an attractive appearance and does not interfere in any way with the normal operation of the razor, as far as the insertion or removal of a razor blade is concerned.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become evident as the description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of one form of safety razor having a converter embodying the invention disposed in operative association therewith;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of one end of the razor shown in Figure l and the converter in association therewith;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the converter shown 2,695,448 Patented Nov. 30, 195.4

2 being shownin the open position adapted to receive a razor blade;

Figure 5 is an enlargedvfragmentary view ofa portion of the head of'the razor shown in Figures 1 and 2} together with the edge of a razor blade disposed operative associationtherewith. Y

Turning now to Figure 1, a safety razor made by the Gillette Safety Razor Company ofBo'stoh, Massachusetts, is shown therein indicated generally by the numeral 10 A converter 12 embodying the invention is shown: disposed in operative relation with the guard 14 on the head of the' razor. As best 'shown in Figure 2, the head of the razor is' made up of a number of moving parts which are adapted to openand close, thus permitting ready insertion of a razor blade as desired. These parts comprise the two wing portions 16 and 18 which a-re pivotally mounted in the cross bars 20 and 22, which are in turn carried by a longitudinally movable center post 24. This post 24 moves longitudinally in response to rotation of the lower end 26 of the razor which may be rotated independently of themain body 28 of the handle of the razor.

As the longitudinally movable center post 24 is moved into the handlemember 28 by appropriaterotatiomo'f theend 26 thereof, the two wing portions 16 and 18 are moved into close association with the center pos't 24,- a's best shown in Figure 2. if a razor blade has-previously been inserted over the center post 24, which has an elongated top 30, this movement of the two wing portions 16 and 18 causes the blade to assume to arcuate disposition with the two cutting edges thereof protruding out from beneath the outer edges of the two wing portions. This disposition of the blade edge is best shown in Figure 5 and it may be seen that the edge of the blade 32 is in spaced relation to the guard 14, and likewise the converter 12 has its upper edge spaced slightly from the edge 32.

Because of the cross sectional configuration of the converter 12, it is capable of being readily disposed on the guard 14. as is best shown in Figure 1. The converter 12, thus, in effect, becomes a sheath for the guard 14 into which the guard may beinserted in an endwise fashion when desired. Once the converter has been so disposed, it will be firmly held in that position by its natural resiliency, since it will be designed so that the fit will normally be quite snug. Furthermore, the converter as best shown in Figure 5 is provided with a lower lip 34 adapted to underlie the lower edge 36 of the guard 14 and an upper lip 38 adapted to overlie the angular portion 40 of the guard. Because of this configuration, the converter cannot be removed under normal circumstances from association with the guard 14 except by an endwise sliding movement. The main body 42 of the guard preferably is made of increased thickness so that the finger of the individual using the converter can be utilized to apply pressure endwise to the converter by application to this widened area.

The upper lip 33 is so designed that it is disposed in spaced relation to the edge 32 of the blade so that there is no danger of dulling of the edge by contact with the converter. Likewise, the upper lip 38 is of a thickness and configuration such that when the wings 16 and 18 are raised into the position shown in Figure 4, there is adequate clearance between the outer edge 44 of the wing 16 and the upper edge 38 of the converter 12.

The converter thus described is therefore readily applied to either the guard 14 or the guard 46, as desired, and yet does not interfere with the normal functioning of the movable portions of the head of the razor. In actual use the converter can be permitted to remain in association with only one of the guard members, such as the guard 14. and after the edge of the razor blade oppositely disposed to the guard 14 has become dull, the blade may be turned over so that the unused edge is brought into association with the guard 46. On the other hand, because of the ease with which the converter may be removed and applied to the guards, it is also possible to move the converter 12 from association with the guard 14 after the edge on the opposite side of the razor has become dull and to insert the guard 46 into the converter 12 so as to prevent the dull edge of the razor blade from being utilized.

The device described can therefore be used to accomplish the objects set out above and enables the user of a double-edge safety razor to obtain more efficient utilization of double-edge razor blades. To aid in the actual use of a razor to which the converter has been applied it has been found desirable to use brightly colored material, such as a red plastic, for the converter so that not only is it impossible to shave with the side of the razor having the converter disposed thereon, but there is also a visual signal given by the brightly colored converter that that side of the razor is not capable of being utilized for the normal shaving operation.

In the drawing and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as further defined in the following claims.

It is claimed:

1. A single edge converter for a double-edge safety razor having a substantially L-shaped depending guard bar disposed in closely spaced relation to each edge of a double-edge razor blade when the latter is disposed in operative position in said razor comprising a sheath member having a cross-sectional configuration such that said guard may be removably inserted therein, a lower lip on said sheath member adapted to underlie the lower edge of said depending guard bar, and an upper lip on said sheath member adapted to overlie the angular portion of said guard.

2. A single edge converter for a double-edge safety razor having a substantially L-shaped depending guard bar disposed in closely spaced relation to each edge of a double-edge razor blade when the latter is disposed in operative position in said razor comprising a sheath member having a cross sectional configuration such that said guard may be removably inserted therein, a lower lip on said sheath memberadapted to .underlie the lower edge of said depending guard bar, an upper lip on said sheath member adapted to overlie the angular portion of said guard, and a main body portion on said sheath member of greater thickness adapted to be disposed adjacent the depending arm of said L-shaped guard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1 r 2,009,272 Muros July 23, 1935 2,363,040 Barthalot Nov. 21, 1944 2,367,422 Muros Jan. 16, 1945 2,636,264 Ganzer Apr. 28, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 326,904 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1930 

